Car-seal.



No. 637,693. Patented Nov. 26, l90l.

MEAD. CAB SEAL.

(Application filed Aug. 20, 1901.)

I (No Model.)

, v f/VVEZVTO]? WITNESSES.- ga v I f M f NlTE STATES a rnivr much.

EDWIN E. MEAD, OF WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ELMER E.BAGLEY, OF \VOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS.

CAR-SEAL...

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 687,693, datedNovember 26, 1901.

Application filed August 20, 1901. 7 serial No. 72,691- (No model.)

To all whom it may col warn.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN E. MEAD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Woodstock, in the county of McHenry and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Seals; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in car-seals.

The object of the invention is to construct a car-seal which cannot beopened or tampered with without destruction of the seal or indicationsof the tampering.

A further object is to construct a cheap and efficient seal from asingle piece of tin or similar thin metal without soldering or riveting.

With these and other objects in view my invention is hereinafterdescribed and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank from which the seal is made. Figs.2, 3, and 4 illustrate successive steps in folding the blank to form theseal. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section with the loop or bow of the sealdisengaged. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section with the bow in engagement.

' Referring more particularly to the drawings, the blank is composed ofa body portion 7, a loop or bow portion 8, and a portion 9, extendingfrom the body portion on the opposite edge from the loop. The end of theloop is provided with a perforation 10, through which is adapted to passa tongue 11, struck up from the body 7. Extending from the body portionare portions 12 and 13, which are adapted to be folded around the bodyportion, in a manner to be described, to form the casing Within whichthe free end of the loop is retained. The portion 12 has a boss 12impressed therein, and the portion 13 has a boss 13 therein. When theparts are folded, the

barb 11 of the tongue 11 lies within the boss 12, as seen in Figs. 5 and6, and the end of the portion 9 lies within the boss 13.

In forming the seal the portion 9 is bent over upwardly and down uponthe spring-tongue 11. The portion 12 is then bent downwardly under andagainst the body 7 in the form shown in Fig. 2 Then the portion 13 isbent over upwardly on the line 13 to the position shown in Fig. 3, inwhich position the outside edge of the extension 14 is flush with theedge of the body portion 7 atthe line 12. Then the portion 7 and theextension 14 are folded upwardly and over upon themselves to form aseam, which closes the casing, as shown in Fig. 4.

The tongue 11 is struck up from thebody of the seal, as hereinbeforestated, and at its end is turned downwardly and backwardly to form thebarb 11, which extends through the perforation formed by the striking upofthe tongue.

In operation the end of the loop 8 is inserted in the casing under theportion 13 and passes under the end of the portion 9. As the end of theportion 9 lies in the boss 13, this operation is not prevented. The endof the tongue yields to the insertion of the loop and when theperforation 10 is reached springs up therein. The loop is thenretracted,whereby its end 8 is caught under the tongue behind the barb11. It will be seen that in this position it cannot be disengaged orunlocked except by forcibly bending the tongue backward or otherwisedestroying the seal. Neither can it be disengaged by the introduction ofany blade or other instrument.

The seal is preferably formed of sheet-tin or tinned. metal. It will beseen that no sol dering or riveting is necessary to construct it.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. Acar-seal comprisingabodyportion havin g a barbed tongue struck uptherefrom, two portions attached to and folded respectively under andover the body portion, an end por tion folded over the end of thetonguein yielding Contact therewith, and a loop portion tion, adapted toengage under the tongue and 10 having a perforation, adapted to engagethe behind the barb. tongue. In testimony whereof I a-ffix my signature2. A car-seal comprising a body portion 7, in presence of tWo Witnesses.folds 12 and 13 connected thereto and adapted to respectively fold underand over the body EDWIN MEAD portion,the tongue 11 struck up from thebody Witnesses: portion, a backwardly-projecting barb on the OWEN G.MEAD, tongue, and a loop portion having a perfora- G. E. STILL.

